Projectile.



Patented June 27, i899.

P B DJ E C T l L E (Application filed Dec. 13, 1897.)

H. &. T. ANDREWS.

(No Model.)

UNITE STATES PATENT Orrrcn.

HARRY ANDREWIS AND THOMAS ANDREWS, OF LONDON, ENGLAND.

PROJECTILE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 627,929, dated June 27,.1899. Application filed December 13, 1897. Serial Noffidlfl i l. (Nomodel.)

To (ZZZ whom, it may concern: .Be it known that we, HARRY ANDREWS anTHOMAS ANDREWS, gun-makers, subjects of the Queen of Great Britain, andresidents of 31 New road,lVoolwich, London, county of Kent, England,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in and Relating toProjectiles for Small-Arms and for Machine and other Guns, (for part ofwhich invention Harry Andrews has obtained in Great Britain a patent,No. 16,836, dated September 9, 1895; in

Belgium, No. 122,419, dated July 9,1896; in France, No. 257,966, datedJuly 10, 1896; in

Spain, No. 19,340, dated July 14, 1896; in Italy, No. 42,331, datedAugust 17, 1896; in Austria, No. 3,397, dated September 4, 1896, and inGermany, No. 91,593, dated July 4, 1896,) of which the followingisaspecification.

Our invention relates to projectiles for firearms, and has for its mainobject the production of a self-lubricating projectile-that is to say, aprojectile containing a suitable quantity of lubricating material and soformed that as it is propelled along the barrel of the firearm thelubricating material will be pressed or forced outward onto or againstthe interiorsurface of the barrel, which will thus be efficientlylubricated, so as to diminish the friction between it and theprojectile.

The accompanying drawings show several longitudinal central sections ofour projectiles and which are more particularly hereinafter individuallyreferred to.

In our improved projectile we utilize the inertia of the atmospheric airand of the lubricating material for pressing or forcing out the latterwhen the projectile is driven forward by the explosion of the charge inthe gun. Forthis purpose we make ourimproved projectile with one or morelongitudinal passages extending from the forward end or point of theprojectile and terminating in a series or group of passages which extendradially to and through the exterior surface of the projectile either ata right angle or at any other suitable angle to the longitudinal passageor passagesor the radial passages may be curved. We fill the saidpassages with a suitable lubricating material, so that when theprojectile is moved forward by the explosion of the powder charge thesaid lubricating material will be forcibly expelled or squeezed out ofthe said radial passages onto the bore of the gun or into the grooves ofthe rifling.

Ive sometimes find it expedient to employ an air-check situated Withinthe longitudinal passage. This air-check preferably consists of aspherical ball of lead or alloy or a metallic cup-shaped piece adaptedto be inserted in the longitudinal passage, preferably after thelubricating material is let in, and is designed to move freely with thelubricating material as the latter is being expelled. When the air-checkreaches its seating at or toward the bottom of the longitudinal passageafter the expulsion of the lubricant, it closes the said passage andprevents the air passing through the passages during the flight of theprojectile.

A rifle-bullet can be conveniently manufactured in accordance with oursaid invention as follows, viz: We make the core in two .parts,the'forward part having a longitudinal passage extending completely throughit, and the rear end of the forward part or the forward end of the rearpart being so formed that there will be between the two parts whenplaced together an annular or circumferential groove, channel, orrecess, and radial channels connecting the same with the saidlongitudinal passage, or we make the core in a single piece with alongitudinal passage extending completely through it and with radialgrooves or channels at its rear end connecting the said passage with acircumferential recess or channel at the base of the core. In both ofthese forms of construction the outer covering or hard sheath of thebullet is made with a circumferential group or groups of small holes,which when the core is inserted coincide in position with the saidcircumferential channel or recess.

In applying our invention to tubular bullets or projectiles having aremovable or detachable base we provide the same with radial holes orpassages extending from the in terior to the exterior of the tube and wefill the interior of the tube either wholly or partially with thelubricating material. It may be advantageous in either case to form acircum'ferential depres ion or channel in that part of the exteriorsurface ofthe projectile where the orifices of the radial passages aresituated.

Our invention is applicable to small-arm projectiles formed in one solidpiece and also to cast or forged projectiles of larger size such, forinstance, as those used in machine and quick-firing guns or ordnance.The channel or channels or passages for the lubricating material may beformed by drilling or in the process of forging or casting theprojectile.

The accompanying drawings show in longitudinal centralsecti'on variousforms of ourimproved projectile,which we will now more particularlydescribe. The passages and channels referred to in the drawings areshown with the lubricant therein.

The projectile shown in Figure 1 is made with a core formed in two partsor pieces a a, the forward part at having a passage b extendinglongitudinally through it and having in its rear end radial ortangential grooves or channels 0, extending from the said passage b tothe periphery of the part a. The rear part a is made of cylindrical formand bears against the rear end of the forward part a, the two partsbeing inclosed in the metal sheath or casing d, in which are formedholes e for the discharge of the lubricating material, or, if desired,the core shown in Fig. 1 can be made in a single piece, the longitudinalpassage 1) and the radial channels 0 being formed by punching anddrilling or in any other convenient manner. The core, when made in twoparts or pieces, may, if desired, be fitted together or joinedlongitudinally instead of transversely.

In Fig. 2 we have shown a projectile in which the core is made in asingle piece (1, having the passage b extending longitudinally throughit and having the radial'grooves or channelsoformed in its base. Thesaid radial channels in this case communicate with the group of holes 6and e in the sheath or casing (1 through longitudinal grooves orchannelsf, formed in the exterior surface of the said core. I

In Fig. 3 we have shown one form of our projectile provided with asliding spherical air-check s. The position of the air-check after theexpulsion of the lubricant is shown at s.

The core of the projectile shown in Fig. 4 is made in a single piece at,having in its forward end or point radial grooves or channels nalpassage b to its periphery, about midway between its ends.

When the projectile is discharged from a firearm, the lubricatingmaterial will during the movement of the projectile along the barrel beforced out of the channels 0 by the resistance of the air in the barreland by the inertia of the lubricating material itself onto the interiorsurface or bore of the barrel or into the rifle-grooves thereof, andwill thus efficiently lubricate the same and the projectile. Whendesired, an air-check is put into the longitudinal passage 1) with thelubricant to close the same to air-currents after the lubricant has beenexpelled.

Having thusdescribed our invention, what we claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is-

1. A projectile having a series of perforations in its body which alikemeet a concentric passage formed from its head to a limited distancetoward its base, the said perforations and passage beingfilled withlubricating material substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

2. A projectile having a series of perforations in its body which alikemeet a concentric passage formed from its head to a limited distancetoward its base, the said perforations and passage being filled withlubricating material and the concentric passage being provided with amovable air-check to prevent the air passing through the said passageduring the flight of the projectile-after the lubricant has been pressedout, substantially as set forth.

In testimony that we claim the foregoing as our invention we have signedour names, in presence of the subscribing witnesses, this 4th day ofDecember, 1897.

HARRY ANDREWS. THOMAS ANDREWS.

WVitn esses:

. F. ANDREWS, E. ANDREWS.

